Rollins Asanji Tita was born December 19, 2001 in Decatur, Georgia. He grew up with his parents, Abel A. Tita and Roseline B. Gwanyebit and his two brothers, Jennings G. Tita and Justin F. Tita. From an early age Rollins radiated. Around his brothers, he was always the most expressive; with friends, he was the most charismatic, and when he came in contact with new faces he was very gentle and benevolent. He loved to make connections with contagious energies and enjoy time around beloved company. He was also big on laughter and cracking jokes; it was part of his personality that everyone identified him by. Anyone close to Rollins knew he had an attractive aura and he carried that with him everywhere he went.
At the age of 3, Rollins began receiving accredited education at Mount Vernon Christian Academy. He was a very bright child and did extraordinarily well in school. From his academic achievement alone, everyone knew that Rollins was gifted. At age 5, Rollins and his older brother, Jennings, played on their first basketball team together. From this sport, they strengthened their brotherhood, court chemistry, and developed an undeniable love for the game. When youngest brother, Justin, was old enough, he too grew close to the sport and the three formed a basketball trifecta. On any given day you would see all three brothers making their way to the neighborhood's best hoop where they would spend an entire day playing basketball. This sport played a vital role in Rollins life and molded him into the man he is today. Rollins would attend MVCS up until fourth grade before transferring to North Henry Academy.
Here, Rollins delved into his craft and grew tremendously as a basketball player. By this time Rollins was playing ball for his school and a local rec center almost simultaneously; his love for the game began to swelter. It was his passion and a good one indeed. It fit his flow of life as he excelled both on the court and in the classroom. At North Henry, Rollins played on the elementary and middle school teams with younger brother Justin and the two began their basketball legacy. They watched their older brother shine on the middle school team and he watched them torch the elementary competition. It quickly became evident that the days of playing tirelessly in the neighborhood were starting to bear fruit. When Rollins played in his older brother's last middle school game they both put up double digit points. It was a remarkable night and it was the night the torch was passed. When older brother left for the next chapter, he, and youngest brother Justin took the torch and elevated it higher than it was left. They carried the school team to playoff rounds and made school history as perhaps the best team to go through North Henry. Rollins Tita made NHA history as the first and only player to score 27 points in one game and his record still stands today. He solidified a legacy as one of the best middle school players to go through the school. This golden era of Rollins life was perhaps his happiest and all he needed was a ball, his family, and video games.
As Rollins navigates through middle school, he finds himself at Creekside Christian Academy in 8th grade. Upon his arrival, many familiar faces welcomed him and he was able to make great connections through his attractive charisma. He gained the likeness of JV and Varsity coaches early. Varsity coach Burton Uwarow saw Rollins’s knack for the game and took him under his wing. He excelled on the junior varsity team as a starting point guard and would eventually make many varsity appearances. Coach Uwarow implemented important life values and stayed on top of Rollins on and off the court; he would be Rollins’s main source of encouragement and helped Rollins fill in big roles throughout his basketball career. Anyone who watched Rollins knew that he went about his game differently. He was a smooth point guard, coachable, hardworking, and a little flashy with an exceptional three-point shot. He put the game in his hands, controlled the pace and dictated his game. Rollins IQ was evident on the court and that is what made him such a great player.
Up to this point, Rollins was living his golden era of basketball. In seventh grade, he appeared on Atlanta’s Hoopseen radar as one of Georgia’s top prospective point guards, he made varsity appearances on his high school's state championship team, and was recording consistent double digit games. Basketball was showing him love and he was loving the sport back. But things took a turn when he transferred out of Creekside. For the next three years, Rollins would struggle to find varsity playing time due to eligibility problems and a lingering ankle injury. In 10th grade, he attended Greenforest Christian Academy, a highly competitive school in the Atlanta area. His start to the season was a little rocky, but he would eventually begin to have breakthrough performances that proved him a valuable guard. Going into his senior year, Rollins had been through three different high schools and received a little amount of playing time. This was a challenge for Rollins alongside finding himself outside of basketball and as ugly as it looked Rollins maintained a 3.5 GPA and stayed in the gym. At his final high school, Eagles Landing Christian Academy, Rollins continued to struggle with getting on the court, but his productive summer AAU season kept him up to speed and ready for any opportunity that came his way.
Hence, marked the end of Rollins high school career: a 3.4 GPA, 0 offers, and uncommitted. If you want to talk about strength through struggle, Rollins' story is the perfect one. Leaving high school with little court time and NBA dreams is all the reason to lose hope. Rollins didn’t. That entire summer all Rollins did was work. He was the first to leave in the mornings, making a b-line to the rec center where he grew up playing. He was focused, unrelentless, and patient. That entire summer Rollins made effort after effort, reaching out to schools for available spots and in June, Rollins announced his commitment to Gardner-Webb University. This was his golden opportunity. Immediately after arriving on campus, Rollins was going to the gym at 8pm and staying until 3am every night. He was taking his time, making clear his intentions. He always told his mother, “one day I'm going to make you proud” and that is what he was doing the whole time. He was showing us aggressively how to work for what you want no matter what seems to be the final say. Rollins' story is one we should all learn from. Young or old, be intentional and relentless in your purpose until the day you part. The Legacy Continues, Dream On.
Visitation for Rollins will be held on Friday, March 12, 2021 from 4:00PM-8:00PM at Horis A. Ward Funeral Home - Fairview Chapel, 376 Fairview Road, Stockbridge, Georgia 30281.
The Celebration of Life for Rollins Asanji Tita will be held on Saturday, March 13, 2021 at 1:00 PM at Eagles Landing First Baptist Church, 2400 Highway 42 North, McDonough, Georgia 30253, with Visitation from 11:00AM-12:45PM. Interment will immediately follow in Fairview Memorial Gardens, 164 Fairview Road, Stockbridge, Georgia.
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